What happens in Vegas is going to happen without Dick Wadhams

Update:Dick Wadhams is getting a kick out of a report that he‚Äôs headed to Nevada to run a U.S. Senate race there.

Wadhams, the state GOP chairman, has been in Hawaii for the National Republican Committee meeting. Asked by e-mail this afternoon whether he was still there, he wrote back, ‚ÄúYes but leaving tonight for Las V ‚ÄĒ I mean Denver.‚ÄĚ

Earlier today, Wadhams disputed a report he was going to Vegas to run Sue Lowden’s campaign.

Wadhams does have a reputation for slaying Senate majority leaders. His candidate, Republican John Thune, unseated Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota in 2004, a feat that had not been accomplished since 1952.

The Wadhams/Lowden rumor has popped up periodically, especially after Lowden jumped in the race Oct. 1. She and Wadhams are good friends; she used to be Nevada state party chair.

Former Rocky colleague Norm Clarke from the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Lowden’s husband said she was assembling a campaign team and Wadhams was on board.

InDenverTimes then ran a story saying Wadhams was going to run the campaign, which Clarke pointed out he didn’t say.

‚ÄúI can assure you Sue did not say I was running the campaign,‚ÄĚ Wadhams told me in a subsequent e-mail. ‚ÄúShe has, in my opinion, one of the best in the nation, Robert Uithoven. I’m sure she could have said I’m a close friend who is helping her.‚ÄĚ

Wadhams later added he surely is “on board,” though.

Close enough that Uithoven said he‚Äôs talked to Wadhams probably 15 times since she entered the race. He said Wadhams offers advice.

“But Dick is not involved day to day, never has been. I call him a ‚Äėsenior strategist‚Äô but he has said he doesn‚Äôt want to be referred to as ‚Äėsenior,‚Äô‚ÄĚ Uithoven said, with a laugh.

“Wadhams does have a reputation for slaying Senate majority leaders. His candidate, Republican John Thune, unseated Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota in 2004, a feat that had not been accomplished since 1952.” Daschle was so bad, he beat himself. Thune was the mere beneficiary. Wadhams ain't that good.

What a child to make fun of their names. This man is so immature and without adequate true facts to discredit the current demos in office that all he can do is act like an 8 year old. Where is his mother? He needs a spanking! And you're right Daschle got too full of himself and forgot who he represented. Am glad he got beaten.

What a child to make fun of their names. This man is so immature and without adequate true facts to discredit the current demos in office that all he can do is act like an 8 year old. Where is his mother? He needs a spanking! And you’re right Daschle got too full of himself and forgot who he represented. Am glad he got beaten.

What a child to make fun of their names. This man is so immature and without adequate true facts to discredit the current demos in office that all he can do is act like an 8 year old. Where is his mother? He needs a spanking! And you’re right Daschle got too full of himself and forgot who he represented. Am glad he got beaten.

I think the question raised by these stories is what is Dick Wadhams doing in Hawaii. Is this what most Americans are doing. Laying on the beach at the most expensive resort in the U.S. How could the Republican Party spend millions of dollars for Dick Wadhams and Michael Steele to go to Hawaii for a vacation. I cannot believe that the Denver Post does not see the same problem. How about some reporting. First how did Michael Steele decide that the week of the State of Union, Michael Steele decides to fly everyone to Hawaii to whoop it up. The Republicans have won a couple of tough governors races in Virginia and New Jersey and won an impossible Senate victory in Mass. But the Democrats still have 59 seats in the U.S. Senate. It is not time to celebrate. The Democrats still hold the majority in the House. The Democrats in Colorado control the House and Senate and the Governor's office. It is not time to celebrate in Hawaii. It is time to be on the job in Colorado and Washington just like ordinary Americans do this week. They show up for work. We do not want the Republicans to act like a bunch of fat cats. No more vacations. Get to work.

I think the question raised by these stories is what is Dick Wadhams doing in Hawaii. Is this what most Americans are doing. Laying on the beach at the most expensive resort in the U.S. How could the Republican Party spend millions of dollars for Dick Wadhams and Michael Steele to go to Hawaii for a vacation. I cannot believe that the Denver Post does not see the same problem. How about some reporting. First how did Michael Steele decide that the week of the State of Union, Michael Steele decides to fly everyone to Hawaii to whoop it up. The Republicans have won a couple of tough governors races in Virginia and New Jersey and won an impossible Senate victory in Mass. But the Democrats still have 59 seats in the U.S. Senate. It is not time to celebrate. The Democrats still hold the majority in the House. The Democrats in Colorado control the House and Senate and the Governor’s office. It is not time to celebrate in Hawaii. It is time to be on the job in Colorado and Washington just like ordinary Americans do this week. They show up for work. We do not want the Republicans to act like a bunch of fat cats. No more vacations. Get to work.

I think the question raised by these stories is what is Dick Wadhams doing in Hawaii. Is this what most Americans are doing. Laying on the beach at the most expensive resort in the U.S. How could the Republican Party spend millions of dollars for Dick Wadhams and Michael Steele to go to Hawaii for a vacation. I cannot believe that the Denver Post does not see the same problem. How about some reporting. First how did Michael Steele decide that the week of the State of Union, Michael Steele decides to fly everyone to Hawaii to whoop it up. The Republicans have won a couple of tough governors races in Virginia and New Jersey and won an impossible Senate victory in Mass. But the Democrats still have 59 seats in the U.S. Senate. It is not time to celebrate. The Democrats still hold the majority in the House. The Democrats in Colorado control the House and Senate and the Governor’s office. It is not time to celebrate in Hawaii. It is time to be on the job in Colorado and Washington just like ordinary Americans do this week. They show up for work. We do not want the Republicans to act like a bunch of fat cats. No more vacations. Get to work.

I think the question raised by these stories is what is Dick Wadhams doing in Hawaii. Is this what most Americans are doing. Laying on the beach at the most expensive resort in the U.S. How could the Republican Party spend millions of dollars for Dick Wadhams and Michael Steele to go to Hawaii for a vacation. I cannot believe that the Denver Post does not see the same problem. How about some reporting. First how did Michael Steele decide that the week of the State of Union, Michael Steele decides to fly everyone to Hawaii to whoop it up. The Republicans have won a couple of tough governors races in Virginia and New Jersey and won an impossible Senate victory in Mass. But the Democrats still have 59 seats in the U.S. Senate. It is not time to celebrate. The Democrats still hold the majority in the House. The Democrats in Colorado control the House and Senate and the Governor's office. It is not time to celebrate in Hawaii. It is time to be on the job in Colorado and Washington just like ordinary Americans do this week. They show up for work. We do not want the Republicans to act like a bunch of fat cats. No more vacations. Get to work.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.